Board of Directors
The Board represents a broad spectrum of agricultural industries and has a wealth of business management experience. It plays an important role in oversight and planning for the organization. It's easy to see why AgChoice is so customer focused when the Board members are also customer-owners.
Interested in stepping up to Board leadership? Click here to download an informational brochure and request additional information. If you would like to contact a director, please call our Corporate Secretary Sue Thrift at 800-349-3568, ext. 6026 or email her at sthrift@agchoice.com.
Region 1
Covering Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Tioga, Venango and Warren Counties
Christine Waddell
Crawford County
Audit Committee
Mrs. Waddell owns and operates a 1,600-acre farm where she and her family milk 500 Holstein cows and care for 400 replacement heifers. Crops raised include corn, alfalfa and soybeans. She is a Dairy 4-H leader, actively promotes the dairy industry through her work with the Dairy Princess Program, serves on the Center for Dairy Excellence board and is a member of St. Hippolyte Catholic Church. Her term of office began in 2010 and expires in 2012.
Region 2
Covering Bradford, Columbia, Juniata, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Wayne and Wyoming Counties.
Donald G. Cotner Jr.
Northumberland County
Executive and Compensation Committee
Mr. Cotner is a partner of Don Cotner Farms, which farms nearly 1,250 acres. He is a partner in Boyd Station, LLC, Chairman of the Rush Township Zoning Hearing Board, and is president of Cotner Farms, Inc., which operates an independent layer operation with 500,000 layers. His term of office began in 1982 and expires in 2012.
Dennis B. Spangler
Union County
Vice Chairman of the Board, Executive and Compensation Committee
Mr. Spangler is an operator of a dairy and crop farm with 80 milking cows and 75 replacements. Mr. Spangler serves as a director with the Union County Conservation District and is a member of the Union County Ag Advisory Committee. His term of office began in 1994 and expires in 2014.
Region 3
Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Somerset and York Counties
Paul W. McPherson
York County
Governance Committee
Mr. McPherson heads Maple Lawn Farms, Inc., a family farm corporation that produces fruit and grain and operates a farm market. Mr. McPherson is a chairman of Fawn Township Planning Commission and served as director of PSU Ag Science Alumni Society, president of the National Peach Council, Citizens' Volunteer Fire Co. and York County Fruit Growers. He also served as a trustee of Centre Presbyterian Church. His other activities include National and PA Corn Growers, State Horticulture Association of Pennsylvania, York County and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and Adams Electric Cooperative. His term of office began in 1991 and expires in 2015.
Brandon L. Weary
Cumberland County
Governance Committee
Mr. Weary has a 330-acre dairy farm in partnership with his brother, Brian. They milk 160 cows and have 120 heifer replacements. They grow alfalfa and grass hay. He serves on the Cumberland County Dairy Futures Committee, an alternate delegate for Land O'Lakes Unit 52.5 and a member of the Cumberland County Farm Bureau and is a member of the Big Spring United Lutheran Church. His term of office began in 2011 and expires in 2014.
Region 4
Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Clearfield, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania, and Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Ohio Counties in West Virginia
Richard A. Allen
Fayette County
Audit Committee
Mr. Allen owns and operates Allen-Hill Dairy, a partnership with his brother, Ron. They milk 125 registered Holsteins and farm 460 tillable acres. The partnership also operates an "agri-tainment" business called "Allen's Haunted Hayrides" and has seven rental properties. He currently serves as a director on the Fayette County Farm Bureau and the Fayette County Extension board and attends Abundant Life Church. His term of office began in 2011 and expires in 2014.
William K. Jackson
Fayette County
Chairman of the Board, Executive and Compensation Committee
Mr. Jackson is co-owner/operator of Jackson Farms, an 800-acre dairy that milks 195 registered Holsteins and processes, wholesales and retails dairy products via an on-farm processing plant and convenience store. He is president of the Fayette County Fair Board, treasurer of the Community Foundation of Fayette County, a board member of the Brownsville Tri-County Hospital and the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Penn State - Fayette Campus Advisory Board. His term of office began in 2000 and expires in 2012.
Stacy L. Houseknecht
Bradford County
Governance Committee
Ms. Houseknecht co-owns and operates Knecht Knoll Farm with her husband, William. They milk 90 registered Holsteins and farm approximately 400 acres of corn and alfalfa to feed their animals. The Houseknechts were recognized in February at the Pennsylvania Holstein Convention as recipients of the Young Breeders Award for 2010. They are currently expanding their herd and developing more comfortable facilities to meet their needs. Ms. Houseknecht works with local school programs, FFA and soccer. Her term of office began in 2012 and expires in 2015.
Charles F. Ulmer Jr.
Lycoming County
Governance Committee
Mr. Ulmer owns a grain and forage operation, farming 1,500 acres. In addition, Mr. Ulmer owns four dairy facilities, providing young and beginning farmers the opportunity to start a career in agriculture. His term of office began in 1999 and expires in 2014.
R. Mac Reeves
Executive and Compensation Committee
Mr. Reeves owns 700 acres of crop and timberland in central and southwestern Virginia. Mr. Reeves retired after 32 years with New Holland-North America. He also serves as a director for AAA Central Penn. His term of office began in October 2002 and expires in 2015.
Samuel BowerCraft
Audit Committee
Mr. BowerCraft is a senior manager in the Risk Management Services Group at McKonly & Asbury LLP. He holds a Master's degree in Information Management Systems from The Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. He also holds the certification of Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). His term of office began in 2011 and expires in 2012.
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